22 month old...Car Seat or No Car Seat??

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We will be sailing with DD next year (2 1/2 years). Since we will be driving to the port (3 hour drive from home) she'll be in her car seat to the port, but we will not be taking it on the ship with us. We don't plan on using taxis in any port (either a water taxi or bus tour from ship).

If we had to fly we'd be using the Cares Harness on the plane (she'll be too old to fly as a lap child) and doing the same with the ship.

If we planned to use any taxis we'd be taking the car seat with us, but we've been to all the ports before and are going more for the cruise than the ports (may not even get off in some ports).

It is definitely a personal choice. On our last cruise I planned on taking it and at the last minute (I mean getting onto the shuttle bus from the hotel to the port) I decided against it. The transportation we ended up using there was not a chance of using the carseat, except maybe on the way home (but even so, since this van was super full, we would have had to wait for the next one, after waiting hours already). the ride to the port was an old school bus. Our carseat (rear facing infant) would not fit in the seats. The taxi in Cozumel did not have seatbelts, I looked. Maybe we could have gotten another one. GC- did a tour on a bus which was packed, she had to sit on lap, and the seats were fold up style (did not see any seatbelts). Jamaica, shuttle bus, no seatbelts in sight. We did not plan on going long distances either. Personally I hated the idea, but I definitely would not have been able to use the seat.

Yes I am one of THOSE parents who somehow managed to miraculously find a seatbelt in every taxi we have ever traveled in and spent almost 7 years carrying car seats for 2 kids.

And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

JUST got back from the Caribbean - one major accident in St. Thomas right ahead of us - closed down the road to the port (ya know that mountainous death-defying my God we are taking our lives in our own hands for even considering being in this car - road)

BOTH taxis we hailed were 13 passenger vans with guess what? OMG - seatbelts! How clever!

And funny enough the first thing I did when I climbed in and saw them - I told my husband "don't put that on yet - let me take a picture for the family board!" Yeah he knows I'm nuts

I keep hearing about these "open air safari taxis with bench seating" but guess what folks - just say no

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

Originally posted by crusinmama06
Yes I am one of THOSE parents who somehow managed to miraculously find a seatbelt in every taxi we have ever traveled in and spent almost 7 years carrying car seats for 2 kids.

And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

JUST got back from the Caribbean - one major accident in St. Thomas right ahead of us - closed down the road to the port (ya know that mountainous death-defying my God we are taking our lives in our own hands for even considering being in this car - road)

BOTH taxis we hailed were 13 passenger vans with guess what? OMG - seatbelts! How clever!

And funny enough the first thing I did when I climbed in and saw them - I told my husband "don't put that on yet - let me take a picture for the family board!" Yeah he knows I'm nuts
I keep hearing about these "open air safari taxis with bench seating" but guess what folks - just say no

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

Michelle, I love how you think!
I bet we could come up with a great thread of pictures of seatbelts in various places . My 'claim to fame' is a photo of my youngest sleeping in his car seat on a West Jet aircraft with the Canadian certification emblem clearly showing, it is now being used for tech training in Canada

Originally posted by crusinmama06
And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

I believe the exact quote was:

Originally posted by crusinmama06
Yes, I take the car seats. I bet its easier than lugging a coffin home -- just saying.

And I do love it: the older you get in life, the more you realize that we have no idea what our day holds. Most people don't get up in the morning thinking, "this is the day I'm going to be in an accident".

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

Because nothing ever happens when you are on a vacation? Because hauling those seats around is a pain?

One of the ironies in life is that parents are worried because there is not whole milk on the ship, yet they won't take a car seat.

Originally posted by crusinmama06
Yes I am one of THOSE parents who somehow managed to miraculously find a seatbelt in every taxi we have ever traveled in and spent almost 7 years carrying car seats for 2 kids.

And rugrats loves me for this - pssst - it's easier to drag a car seat than a tiny coffin.

JUST got back from the Caribbean - one major accident in St. Thomas right ahead of us - closed down the road to the port (ya know that mountainous death-defying my God we are taking our lives in our own hands for even considering being in this car - road)

BOTH taxis we hailed were 13 passenger vans with guess what? OMG - seatbelts! How clever!

And funny enough the first thing I did when I climbed in and saw them - I told my husband "don't put that on yet - let me take a picture for the family board!" Yeah he knows I'm nuts

I keep hearing about these "open air safari taxis with bench seating" but guess what folks - just say no

If you wouldn't stick your child in YOUR car in the back seat and drive 30 miles down a killer mountainous road then why on Earth would you stick your child in a stranger's car and do the same thing?

The voice of reason! My son is now 30 years old. He was in a standard large car seat until he was five years old since he did not weigh 40 pounds until then. After that he was in a booster seat until he was eight years old, and this was well before booster seat usage was the law. My son is my most precious thing on earth. There is nothing that I would not have done to make sure that he was safe. How on earth can anyone think that the inconvenience of hauling around car seats is worth risking their childs' life for even one second? If you have to turn down the first ten taxis until you find one with seat belts in it then so be it.

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Originally posted by cello56The voice of reason! My son is now 30 years old. He was in a standard large car seat until he was five years old since he did not weigh 40 pounds until then. After that he was in a booster seat until he was eight years old, and this was well before booster seat usage was the law. My son is my most precious thing on earth. There is nothing that I would not have done to make sure that he was safe.

With all due respect, that last line isn't true. If keeping him safe was all that was relevant, you would not have let him ride in a car at all; even more, you wouldn't have let him walk on the pavement. IMO What you surely mean is, there is no reasonable precaution that you wouldn't take to keep him safe - which is a very laudable ambition, one which all parents share, it's just that some parents have slightly different definitions of what constitutes reasonable precautions.

After all, just because you insist your child use a booster seat in cars and wear a crash helmet outside the house at all times, doesn't mean that parent who use a booster seat but don't make their child wear a crash hekmet are unreasonable. Similarly, if you are one of those (very many) parents who don't make their child wear a crash helmet, it doesn't necessarily mean you're less reasonable than those who do. It's just opinion as to what is reasonable and what isn't.

Originally posted by B&Z's Mom
Ditto. I have been at rental car check in counters (yes, I have seen this on several occasions) where people were aghast at the fact there were no car seats, seats that were dirty/expired or unsuitable for their child's needs. Plus the fact that most people can't install a car seat properly without reading the manual, and now you're doing it in a car you don't know, while your children and partner wait.
I would agree that the highway between Orlando and Port Canaveral is unique, we did the trip in a shuttle and I was so grateful than my children were safely secured while the driver was weaving in and out of traffic while talking on her ll phone driving 80mph!
I wouldn't check a car seat, not even at the gate, as again I've seen them fall off conveyor belts etc and they are considered damaged and needing replacement if dropped from waist height. My seats come on board the aircraft, booster as a carry on and the car seat installed on the plane. Aircraft installations are very easy, just ask for a belt extender and you are set.
Bring a seat you know and rent a car that is familiar to you. It will make the installation much quicker and keep everyone safe and happy.

Absolutely agree. Rental places do not keep up to date car seats or boosters. The hwy between Orlando and Port Canaveral is a fast one. I am very grateful we brought our car seats. Plus, in St Thomas and other ports, we requested a cab that had seat belts, just like CrusinMama mentioned. We got the cab drivers card and gave them a nice tip to keep our car seats in their truck or under the shuttle seats for the day and called them on their cell when we were ready to be picked up from the beach, ect. We also just returned from Mexico where we stayed at an all inclusive in Cancun and brought the car seats for the ride to the resort. Glad we did, because again, it was a fast highway.

Like I said before, there will be people who go both ways. The decision is yours and yours alone. Do what you feel comfortable with.

Don't let the scare tactics of overly anxious parents scare you into your decision, if that is what you choose. I for one have never been ticketed or arrested for leaving the booster at home. Then again, I never put myself into a situation where I thought my children's lives would be in danager without the booster. Honestly, if you had that fear why would let them in the car to begin with? I know I wouldn't.

BUT then again, I am the type to let them hurt themselves so they don't do it again... let them sleep on the top bunk and ride in a taxi without a booster. I wouldn't listen to me if I were you!

Oh wait; can you learn a lesson after you've been killed in a car accident? Guess not. Perhaps their parents learned something. I bet they all wish they'd taken the few extra minutes to secure their child in a restraint. I never, ever understand these questions about whether or not to bring a correct restraint if you plan on traveling in a car.

We are a family that harnesses until 65 pounds and booster for a looooong time since we are short people. For traveling, including cruising we have used the Sit and Stroll ( for up to 40 pounds) which is an amazing little contraption that morphs from carseat to stroller to highchair in an instant. We have used travel vests for our over on flights and rental cars. When we cruised in Hawaii we grabbed a cheap low back booster for our oldest who we didnt feel needed the vest ($$) from Walmart in Hawaii and then left it with the car rental company when we left. The little guy was buckled into the sit and stroll for the flights and the rental car.

Im not going to argue with people for the choices that they make for their children, but it stands to reason that bad things still happen on vacations and out of the country is the last place where I'd want to consume emergency services.

Im pretty excited because when we cruise next time, my youngest 2 will be big enough to be safe with just a booster. I will probably bring along a graco low back for each and use that just for the trip and leave them in our last port. I'd prefer them to ride in their harnessed seats like they do at home, but Im at peace with reducing their risk of injury by putting them on a belt positioning booster for the week.

When we cruised with our son at 17 months, we specifically planned all our excursions and transportation so as not to need a car seat. Everything was boats, buses and walking. It is surprisingly easy to avoid getting in a car if you are so inclined.

Originally posted by Athankfulheart
We are a family that harnesses until 65 pounds and booster for a looooong time since we are short people. For traveling, including cruising we have used the Sit and Stroll ( for up to 40 pounds) which is an amazing little contraption that morphs from carseat to stroller to highchair in an instant. We have used travel vests for our over on flights and rental cars. When we cruised in Hawaii we grabbed a cheap low back booster for our oldest who we didnt feel needed the vest ($$) from Walmart in Hawaii and then left it with the car rental company when we left. The little guy was buckled into the sit and stroll for the flights and the rental car.

Im not going to argue with people for the choices that they make for their children, but it stands to reason that bad things still happen on vacations and out of the country is the last place where I'd want to consume emergency services.

Im pretty excited because when we cruise next time, my youngest 2 will be big enough to be safe with just a booster. I will probably bring along a graco low back for each and use that just for the trip and leave them in our last port. I'd prefer them to ride in their harnessed seats like they do at home, but Im at peace with reducing their risk of injury by putting them on a belt positioning booster for the week.

I am not knocking you for having your kids in a harness until 65 pounds. I was just thinking of my son (who hates to be restrained and we deemed claustrophobic as a toddler) and my daughter who are 4th and 5th grade and do not weigh 65 pounds yet. When I was 17 I barley weighed 90 pounds myself.

But you said your two year old will be big enough for a booster the next time you cruise? I didn't consider a booster until my kids were in Kindergarten.

Originally posted by Amy G
Hmm... hadn't thought about vans. I wish there was a way to know what Princess will use!

You can probably call and ask. When I was in Fairbanks Alaska (business trip) I went on a river boat tour and Princess CL showed up with full size tour busses of folks for the tour. I think the person next to me said they were doing a week on water, a week on land package.

Originally posted by angelndscz
I am not knocking you for having your kids in a harness until 65 pounds. I was just thinking of my son (who hates to be restrained and we deemed claustrophobic as a toddler) and my daughter who are 4th and 5th grade and do not weigh 65 pounds yet. When I was 17 I barley weighed 90 pounds myself.

But you said your two year old will be big enough for a booster the next time you cruise? I didn't consider a booster until my kids were in Kindergarten.

I said my YOUNGEST 2 will be in boosters. Right now they are aged 6 and almost 8 and travel fully harnessed in Graco Nautilus and a Britax Decathalon.For the record I was 85 pounds and 4'12 wehn I got married. Im not going to let my kids fuss their way to a decapitation by seatbelt because they are short but refuse to be buckled in safely.I also have a daughter who will turn 10 in March. She is an A+ 4th grader and you know what ? She rides in a Nautilus - harnessed. On her birthday she will be just about right for riding in it with a seatbelt instead of a harness. I have 8 kids and have never had an arguement over a carseat. I've also never not used a proper carseat in a motor vehicle. When we were in Hawaii I had to argue with a tour bus operator who refused to allow me to buckle my 18month old in his carseat.The guy wasnt going to let me use the seatbelt and install my sons carseat but instead wanted me to stow it underneath. I paid for my sons ticket and for him to have a seat - it wasnt going to happen. I was about to show him 7 kinds of crazy but he finally got some sense and relented.